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IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I am probably one of the few ISU fans who isn't satisfied with Stevie's perfomance thus far in 2006. I've read comments like "Stevie's back" or "We can count on Stevie, but our passing game needs to improve." While I agree that Stevie looks better than last year, I cringe when I read comments like this. Look at the facts. Here are the Big 12 leaders in YPC through week 2:

The fact remains that Stevie is a lower-tier Big 12 back. Even in 2004, when Stevie rushed for 1,067 yards, he averaged only 3.9 yards/carry. The problem with Stevie's game is that he rarely, if ever, breaks off a long run. His longest run this year is only 12 yards. It's very difficult to drive the entire length of the field with a back who averages 4 yards or less/carry especially when that back gets so many opportunities (23 carries/game). That's why ISU's drives often stall around the 20 or 30 yard line.

It's a shame that Mac doesn't "trust" his other running backs. Stevie Hicks is good enough for ISU to have another 7-5 season this year. But if ISU wants to take things to another level, I think they will need to get Juice Johnson and/or Jason Scales much more involved. They may or may not be better than Stevie. We'll never know if they continue to get only 1 or 2 carries/game.

And don't blame ISU's offensive line for Stevie's lack of production. I've seen them open up some huge holes this year. The problem is that Stevie can't elude the linebackers and safeties once he breaks through the d-line.

I still think that Stevie can be a valuable member of ISU's team. I just want to see Mac limit him to 10-15 carries/game. With fewer carries Stevie should be more efficient and fresher in the 4th quarter. Am I way off base here?

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I hope to see what Scales and Juice have to offer as well, but if the coaches think Stevie gives us the best chance to win, I'll probably agree with their choices. I would like to see ISU get a lead so we could put out the young pups with a bit less of a worry.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I do not like Hicks at all really. But the man can pass block for the most part and has experience; it also seems that he gets stronger as the game goes on. He is one player I won't miss from this class because I think he's overrated and I hate seeing him make 40 cuts before he gets to the line of scrimmage. Tuck it and run. As long as he holds onto the ball and makes some things happen now and then, keep running him.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

ok, i think you need to hold off on bashing stevie. 4 yards a pop is pretty dang good. also, stevie has never been one to break off big runs. thats not the type of runner he is. also long as he keeps running north and south and making his moves when he is to the second wave, i will be happy. also, look at the number of carries. he is a work horse type running back. he's not reggie bush.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

BryceC hit it right on the nose with that statement about getting a big lead. Shoot, some of those teams that get the big leads can mix in young guys so they have all kinds of kids developed when it's their turn to start.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I agree with everything you said. Stevie Hicks is in the bottom half of starting backs for the league -- I really think you would have a tough time making a coherent argument that he isn't. It's tough to be a great team without a better back than that.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I think ISU is cursed when it comes to highly rated recruits. When I look at all the guys that played at ISU and are now in the NFL, almost all of them were not recruited heavily at all. Think about it---Jordan Carstens, Tim Dobbins, Sage Rosenfels, etc. When we sign a 4 star recruit, they either become ineligible or don't pan out to be all that great or go to jail. Stevie is a great back, its just that Iowa State's offense and defense are really conservative.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

Originally Posted by cgwarrior33

ok, i think you need to hold off on bashing stevie. 4 yards a pop is pretty dang good. also, stevie has never been one to break off big runs. thats not the type of runner he is. also long as he keeps running north and south and making his moves when he is to the second wave, i will be happy. also, look at the number of carries. he is a work horse type running back. he's not reggie bush.

You think 4 yards a carry is good?
4 yards a carry is very poor, especially aganst the level of competition we have played. It is a complete joke to say that Stevie has been anything but disappointing his entire career. A work horse back? Why did it take Stevie 20 career starts before he got his first rushing touchdown? That included 2 games against UNI and other very poor teams. I guess if you consider teams like UNI powerful defensive teams than Stevie is "pretty dang good." HE HAS NO POWER AT ALL AND IS SLOW! Stevie is just not a big 12 caliber running back, he never has been, and unfortunately never will be. The sooner we give Johnson some carries, the sooner we can move forward.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I agree with you and I lay some blame on the coaching staff. When we had the Darren Davis and Ennis we all too often would run shotgun draws on each and every down, including third and long. The same questionable play calling still exists in 2006: everytime we get a lead we play not to loose. Stevie is a marginal back and we are further hampered by marginal play calling.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

A) Comparing any stats after the first 2 games is close to futile. Nearly all the good teams play all the crappy teams the first 2-4 games. As an example look at Colorado--if I remember correctly they are #1 in rush defense in the Big 12. Comparative stats actually mean more once conference play starts.

2) The fact that Stevie rarely has a run more than 12 yards just makes his YPC more impressive. He's more likely to actually get his average YPC on every touch. No stinkin' 80 yard runs to offset 20 no-gain runs and QB's giving you the ball on a broken up play on a draw for a loss. OK--I wish we had Troy Davis, but c'mon--you're grasping at straws if you think a 100 yd game is somehow hurting our offense.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

I like Stevie, and I see his strengths (great blocker, guaranteed 4 yards with any sort of hole) and his weaknesses (lack of speed, not an outside back at all). That is why I think we need to get Juice and Scales more carries - especially Juice, with all the hype surrounding him, I want to see him in action. Running back isn't like quarterback. We can have 3 guys see fairly equal amounts of carries and it would make us a better offense. If we have power guys and speed guys alternating in and out during drives, it would really throw other defenses on their heels, thus further opening our already potentially lethal pass offense. If we aren't going to redshirt Johnson, we should be giving him at least 10 carries per game.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

i still dont understand why everyone is hating on stevie. im going to stand by my thoughts. so what you are saying is that 2nd and 6 is bad? i think it is unfair to compare apples to oranges. comparing stevie to some of the upper tier backs in the league is difficult because, well, our O-Line has not been that great. our O-Line is improved, but its not Texas's or Oklahoma's. forget about stars and all the recruiting stuff. we know how that works. if anyone has ever looked....Mike Williams from USC, coming in he was only a 2-3 star recruit coming out of HS according to scout. i think they were wrong.

stevie does a lot of things right that cause our team to be successful. what would our record have been had we not head stevie last year? he pass protects and he holds onto the football. he is a decent back. i never said he was outstanding. he gets the job done. when i say work horse i mean we can give him the ball 20+ times and get the same effort in the 4th as we did in the 1st. i know we all want to see us rushing the ball and have great RBs. i want that too, but i also want to win. right now, stevie gives us the best oppurtunity to win. Greg Coleman proved that last year and where is he now?!? Montana.

we also went 2-10 his freshman year playing against Oklahoma, Texas....the same schedule we have this year basically. we only scored what...10 or so points against UNI? we were absolutely terrible that year.

i understand where you are coming from and your thoughts behind it, but stats don't always tell us everything. 4 yd YPC is pretty good for not having a run over 12 yds as mentioned above. this is why we have message boards. to discuss our thoughts and opinions. but i think we can all agree on one thing....Iowa State winning the game no matter who is on the field!

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

We should have given Scales and Johnson more touches in each of the first two games. If nothing else, to make sure Hicks stays healthy for the conferences season. It wouldn't have been that big of a deal to give each of them a series or a play here and there earlier in each game. And why would you insert Scales inside the 10 yard line against UNLV?

Some of the coaches' decisions like this make me scratch my head. You can tell these decisions are just not well thought out.

Re: IMO, ISU should develop another RB now!!! Your thoughts?

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

I like Stevie, and I see his strengths (great blocker, guaranteed 4 yards with any sort of hole) and his weaknesses (lack of speed, not an outside back at all). That is why I think we need to get Juice and Scales more carries - especially Juice, with all the hype surrounding him, I want to see him in action. Running back isn't like quarterback. We can have 3 guys see fairly equal amounts of carries and it would make us a better offense. If we have power guys and speed guys alternating in and out during drives, it would really throw other defenses on their heels, thus further opening our already potentially lethal pass offense. If we aren't going to redshirt Johnson, we should be giving him at least 10 carries per game.

Maybe they aren't that great, maybe they can't pass block, maybe they have issues holding onto the ball. Maybe they didn't want Iowa/Texas to know who they are/what they can do. Who knows why the coaching staff isn't using them very much besides the coaching staff?

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